Interview

How to get a job at New York casual studio Arkadium

VP of People Operations Jim Lally shares insights

How to get a job at New York casual studio Arkadium

Joining the company at the end of April along with three other incoming executives, Jim Lally is now settling into his role as VP of People Operations at New York casual games studio Arkadium.

With 15 years' experience, working in analyst and project manager roles in a number of industries, he is now committed to bringing the best talent possible to Arkadium.

As such, with the firm currently hiring in a number of areas, we reached out to Lally to talk company culture, what he's looking for in applicants, and tips for breaking into the industry.

PocketGamer.biz: Could you give us some background on Arkadium and what you do?

Jim Lally: Arkadium is like no other place I’ve ever worked before. A lot of companies have a mission and values, and those things make for some nice posters, but really don’t amount to much.

Here, it’s a whole different experience. Our mission of bringing fun to millions and our values of fierce drive, positive energy and living a full life are real to each and every one of us.

They form the basis for how we make business decisions and how we find each new Arkadian.

That brings me to what I do. As head of People Operations, my job is to make sure that each and every Arkadian has an amazing people experience.

My job is to make sure that each and every Arkadian has an amazing experience.
Jim Lally

I start ensuring this from the very first moment I speak to a new candidate and do everything I can to make sure we have the best team of people who feel valued, taken care of, invested in, supported and able to crush it in everything they do.

What specific areas/disciplines are you currently hiring in?

Our history is as a game studio - we’re known for having created some of the most addictive casual games out there, and we’re always looking for great people to help us in that area.

We’re also working on our “next big thing”, a completely new product that requires different skills - specifically, Full Stack Developers, js-focused Quality Engineers and BI Analysts who operate in high-traffic web environments.

We’re also looking to expand our sales and marketing teams with new sales people and lead generation specialists. Needless to say, we’re looking to add to our team in a number of areas.

As you're overseeing recruitment at Arkadium, what do you look for in candidates?

First and foremost, I look for future Arkadians who are truly reflective of our values and for whom our mission really resonates.

We have an incredible culture that has been cultivated over 15+ years and I know that, regardless of how skilled someone might be, if our values and mission aren’t a part of their DNA, then they won’t feel like this is a place where they can be successful.

Arkadians at work

We are a company that finds ways to gamify everything and we are uber-collaborative. People who succeed here are people who want to have a voice in the company that they work for and want to learn, grow and take smart risks.

Why do you think Arkadium/New York is a good place to work?

Well, I think we’re a great (not just good) place to work because we already have a strong culture.

Our founders, Jessica and Kenny, started crafting this culture on day 1, and it has continued to strengthen and evolve ever since.

To me, the challenge isn’t how to encourage a strong culture - it’s how to make sure I help it to continue to stay strong. For that to happen requires that we continue to stay true to who we are and bring people who are really going to get a lot out of the culture while adding to it in their own unique way.

Where ideas happen at Arkadium

A culture is not about the perks or benefits that a company has. It is not dictated by how stocked the fridge is or how many happy hours we have in a month.

We have all of those things, but we have them not because we are building a culture - we have them because they are the things that the people who make up our cultural value.

If I bring in the best people and give them an awesome people experience, the culture takes care of itself.
Jim Lally

If I stay true to continuing to bring in the best people and keep doing everything to make sure they each have an awesome people experience, then the culture takes care of itself.

What advice would you have for someone trying to get into the games/content/media industry?

Network. Build relationships, share knowledge and don’t be afraid to show your stuff off. The best brains in this industry are ones that like to be challenged with new ideas.

We’re all trying to find the next amazing hire, so do everything you can to show why you are that person. What is unique about you and where do you see your career going?

What are your unique insights and what creativity and intellectual curiosity do you bring to bear? Answer these questions for yourself, then share those answers with the world.

For a full list of vacancies, you can visit Arkadium's jobs page.

Features Editor

Matt is really bad at playing games, but hopefully a little better at writing about them. He's Features Editor for PocketGamer.biz, and has also written for lesser publications such as IGN, VICE, and Paste Magazine.